Container and closure therefor

ABSTRACT

A container and closure therefor comprises an open top or mouth container having a container wall provided with a circumferential shoulder close to the upper end of the wall, and a push-in cover member having a circumferential raised rim portion provided with a circumferential skirt member depending externally over the container wall. The skirt member has its inner wall surface provided with a projection which engages underneath said shoulder on the container wall when the cover member is pushed over the open top of the container. A circumferential notch on the outer side of the skirt member provides a weakening line permitting to tear off a lower portion of the skirt member provided with said projection when the container is to be opened, but leaving the remaining cover member intact to be reusable for closing the container. The cover has a bulged portion on the outer surface of the inner wall and there is a shaped contoured fit between the container and cover.

[ Aug. 21, 1973 CONTAINER AND CLOSURE THEREFOR [76] Inventor: Heinz Ruch, l 1, Friedensgasse,

Basel, Switzerland [22] Filed: Dec. 4, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 310,322

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 119,629, March 1, 1971,

abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 2, 1970 Switzerland 3023/70 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1972 Faulstich 2l5/4l 3,653,529 4/1972 Segmuller... 215/41 3,622,028 ll/l97l Lohrer 215/42 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 958.258 5/1964 Great Britain 220/42 B Primary Examiner-Gorge T. Hall AttorneyEdward J. Brenner et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A container and closure therefor comprises an open top or mouth container having a container wall provided with a circumferential shoulder close to the upper end of the wall, and a push-in cover member having a circumferential raised rim portion provided with a circumferential skirt member depending externally over the container wall. The skirt member has its inner wall surface provided with a projection which engages underneath said shoulder on the container wall when the cover member is pushed over the open top of the container. A circumferential notch on the outer side of the skirt member provides a weakening line permitting to tear off a lower portion of the skirt member provided with said projection when the container is to be opened, but leaving the remaining cover member intact to be reusable for closing the container. The cover has a bulged portion on the outer surface of the inner wall and there is a shaped contoured fit between the container and cover.

16 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 CONTAINER AND CLOSURE THEREFOR This application is a continuation of my earlier filed application, Ser. No. 119,629, filed Mar. 1, 1971 now abandoned.

This invention relates to a container and closure therefor of the kind in which a cover member comprises an inner circumferential wall engaging the inner surface of the container wall and an outer skirt member depending over the outer surface of the container wall to engage with a shoulder formed on this wall. The depending skirt member is provided with a circumferential weakening line to provide a tear-off portion on the skirt member, which after severing allows to open the closure and to use again the remaining portion of the cover member for closing the container.

Containers of this type are known for example from the Swiss Patent specification No. 338,369. They offer the disadvantage of lacking the required tightness of the closure.

The object of the presen invention is to provide a two-part containe and closure therefor which can be easily opened by hand without requiring any tool and which has improved scaling properties without the use of a conventional sealing tape applied around the edge of the cover member.

A further object is the provision of a closure for a container inwhich the sealing action of the cover member shall be retained also after removal of the tear-off portion of the skirt member which serves as guarantee against unauthorized opening of the container.

The container and closure therefor according to the present invention comprises an open top or mouth container body having a container wall formed with a circumferential downwardly directed shoulder onits outer surface in proximity to the top end of the container wall, said shoulder tapering towards the said top end, a cover member formed as push-in cover having a sunk bottom surface and a side wall engaging with the inner surface of the container wall, said side wall having the outer surface thereof provided with a circumferential bulge situated substantially on the level of said shoulder on the outer surface of the container wall when the cover member is engaged on the container, said cover member having a circumferential skirt member depending externally over the container wall, said skirt member having a circumferential notch'to provide a weakening line extending circumferentially thereof intermediate the length of the skirt member, said weakening line permitting to sever the lower portion of the skirt member for opening the container, and a circumferential projection provided on the inner surface of said skirt member below said weakening line, said circumferential shoulder on the container wall engaging over said projection on the skirt member, whereby the lid with these side walls is firmly pressed against the walls of the container. Thus, the upper rim portion of the container wall is firmly clamped between said bulge on the outer wall of the cover member and the inner surface of the skirt member and held in locked position by engagement of said shoulder on the. container wall with said projection on the skirt member.

An embodiment of the container and closure therefor according to the present invention is represented by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the container partly shown in section, with the closure placed in position thereon,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the closure,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the container shown in FIG. 1, drawn to a larger scale,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the closure shown in FIG. 1, drawn to a larger scale.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the portion of the closure shown in FIG. 4 placed in position on the portion of the container shown in FIG. 3.

The container represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 has substantially the shape of a vertically extended extended prismatic shell which is open on the top and provided with a bottom wall 2. The container is made of any suitable thermoplastic material, such as polystyrene, polypropylene or polyethylene. Its side walls 4' slightly taper inwardly and downwardly, so that the cross sectional area of the container is slightly smaller at the bottom than at the top.

As shown in FIG. 1, a circumferential external rib 2a projects from the bottom wall 2 and serves for stacking a number of containers one on top of the other.

FIG. 3 shows the top end portion of a sidewall 4 of the container. A shoulder 3 projects outwardly from the sidewall around the whole circumference of the container 1 at a certain distance below the open top end of the container. This shoulder 3 has the profile of a substantially right-angled, unequal-sided triangle the upwardly directed pointed end of which forms an angle of about 15. The upper, open end of the container can be closed by a push-in cover 5 which preferably is formed of the same plastic material as the container body.

The cover member 5, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4', comprises a sunk, flat bottom 7 and a raised rim portion 9 extending along the entire circumference of the cover and having substantially the shape of a reversed U in cross section. The recess 22 between the two legs of the U section extends circumferentially along the cover member, while the outer leg 14 of the U forms a circumferential skirt member depending externally over the container wall.

The inner leg 10 of the U-shaped member 9 has its end portion joining the bottom 7 inwardly inclined by an angle of about 30.

The central portion of the inner leg 10 wall thickness is increased and forms a bulge. Thus, inner leg 10 is provided with a thickened central portion 11 bulging towards the outer leg 14. The summit of the convex bulge 11 is substantially situated on the level of the external shoulder 3 of the container wall 4 when the cover member 5 is placed on the container. The outer leg or skirt portion 14 has its internal wall shaped to conform to the upper end portion of the container wall provided with the shoulder 3. Below the shoulder 3 of the container wall, the inner surface of the leg or skirt portion 14 isprovided with a circumferentially extending projection 18 protruding into the recess 22 and serving to prevent movement in opposite direction and as a lock against removal of the cover member from the container body.

The outer surface of the leg or skirt 14' of the U- shaped member 9 is provided with a circumferential notch 12 forming a circumferentially extending weakened section 16. The notch 12 thus provides on the skirt portion 14 a separable end section 13 which can be torn off when opening the container. This 'is shown in FIG. 5. As shown in F RES. 1 and 2, the skirt portion 14 is provided with a tear up tongue or pull tab for severing the end portion 13 and facilitating the removal of the cover member 5.

A circumferential stacking rib projects upwardly from the web portion of the U-shaped rim 9 of the cover member 5 and serves as a stiffening member for the web portion of the U-shaped member. Two opposite gripping flaps 21 extend inwardly from the web portion of the rim 9, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. These flaps 21 which are of trapezoidal shape in plan view, are of decreasing thickness towards their free end.

The described container and closure therefor operates as follows: After filling the open container with material the one piece cover member 5 is engaged over the open end of the container. First the container 1 and especially the wedge-shaped shoulder 3 of the container wall acts or presses against the projection 18 of the skirt portion 14 of the cover member 5 and presses the skirt portion outwardly. The tear portion 13 is not permanently deformed by such outward movement but will yield elastically owing to the resiliency of the plastic material and the provision of the weakened section 16 acting like a resilient hinge connection.

Shortly before the upper edge of the container wall 4 makes contact with the end face of the recess 22 in the U shaped rim portion 9, the annular shoulder 3 of the container snaps over the projection 18 and into the recess 19 on the skirt portion 14. Immediately thereafter, by means of the elasticity of the material, tear portion 13 and skirt portion 14 return to their previous position. Thus, the tear portion 13 which has been pressed outwardly, springs back to its position of rest owing to the elasticity of the plastic material. The projection 18 on the tear portion will then be situated beneath the shoulder 3 on the container wall and accordingly secures the lid against back movement and also against unlicensed opening. This locks the cover member 5 against return movement so as to prevent opening of the container.

In order to open the closed container, the tear portion 13 of the skirt is severed from the portion 14 by exerting a pulling action on the tab 15. The projection 18 is removed together with the portion 13 and the skirt portion 14 is no longer locked to the container wall.

The remainder of the cover member 5, without the tear portion 13, can then be easily removed from the container and may be used again as many times as desired for temporarily closing the container. By moving handles 21 upwards, it exerts a lever action and bulge 11' is moved slightly away and pressure is loosened, so that the cover member 5 can be easily removed from the container wall.

An advantage of the described container and closure resides on the fact that the cover member is engaging the inside and the outside surface of the container wall. For this reason, the use of separate sealing means such as sealing foils for obtaining an air-tight seal is not required. Also, with a relatively small total height of the cover member and considerable production tolerances, a vigorous clamping and contact pressure effect will be realized, so that a sealing action may be obtained which suffices for all practical requirements. This is particularly important to withstand any rough handling, such as may occur during transportation or manipulation of the containers, for example in self-service stores. A reliable seal is also required with specifically heavy materials, or with staining materials and with perishable goods when exposed to air, particularly when larger supply containers are used from which smaller quantities are to be dispensed. Owing to the fact that the upper end portion of the container wall 4, above the projection 3 is tightly engaged in the recess 22 between the legs of the U-shaped member 9, also prism-shaped containers having rectangular cover members can be produced which are absolutely tight.

A further advantage is the reliability with which the coacting projections 3 and 18 lock the closure against unauthorized opening of the containers. It is practically impossible to disengage the locked skirt 13, 14 of the cover member 5 without destroying the lower skirt portion by manipulation of the pull tab 15. Even a rough actuation of the gripping flaps 21 may only slightly loosen the clamping action of the bulged portion 1 1 but does not influence the locking effect of the projection 18 of the skirt portion 13.

What is claimed is 1. in an open mouthed container and cover therefor constructed of plastic, wherein said container has a circumferentially extending projection on its outer wall in the region of the top edge of said container, said projection tapering upwardly, wherein said cover has an inverted U-shaped rim inthe form of a pair of upstanding circumferential sidewalls, and wherein the outer sidewall of 'said cover has a circumferential weakening line which subdivides the v cover into a first cover member reusable as a cover and a second cover member being a tear off end portion, the improvement comprising a means for providing firm clamping and contact pressure betweenthe upper edge of said container and the sidewalls of said cover by having the inner sidewall of said cover with a circumferentially extending bulged portion to maintain pressure contact with the inner wall of said container, said bulged portion being disposed approximately on the level of said projection, and

having the outer sidewall of said cover engage the edge of said container firmly above said projection, and

an inward projection on said outer sidewall to engage underneath th projection on said container and lock said cover to said container, said inward projection being located in said tear-off end portion and adjacent to said weakening line in said outer sidewall.

2. The container and cover of claim 1 wherein said cover has a reduced cross-sectional thickness in its outer wall above the projection of said outer wall to thereby form said weakening line. i

3. The container and cover of claim 1 wherein said container is in the form of a polygon.

4. The container and cover of claim 3 wherein said polygon is a rectangle.

S. The container and cover of claim 1 wherein said cover outer wall engages the upper edge of said con- 8. In a relatively flexible one-piece molded plastic cover for an open mouthed container, wherein said container has a circumferential extending projection on its outer wall in the region of the edge of said container, wherein said cover has an inverted U-shaped rim in the form of a pair of upstanding circumferential sidewalls, and wherein the outer sidewall of said cover has a circumferential weakening line which subdivides the cover into a first cover member reusable as a cover and a second cover member being a tear-off end portion, the improvement comprising means for providing firm clamping and contact pressure between the upper edge of said container and the sidewalls of said cover by having the inner sidewall of said cover with a circumferential extending bulged portion to maintain pressure contact with the inner wall of said container, said bulged portion being disposed-approximately on the level of said projection, and having the outer sidewall of said cover shaped to engage the edge of said container firmly above said projection, and an inward projection on said outer sidewall of said cover shaped to engage underneath the projection on said container for locking said cover to said container, said inward projection being located in said tear-off end portion and adjacent to said weakening line in said outer sidewall.

9. The cover of claim 8 wherein said outer wall has a reduced cross-sectional thickness above the projection of said outer wall to thereby form said weakening line.

10. The cover of claim 8 wherein said outer wall is adapted to engage the upper edge of said container with a tight elastic fit.

11. The cover of claim 10 wherein said outer wall has a recess and projection shaped to conform with the profile of the edge and projection of said container wall.

12. In a container and cover therefor constructed of plastic wherein the cover is provided with a sidewall depending over the container edge and having a circumferential weakening line which subdivides the cover into a first cover member reusable as a cover and a second cover member being a tear-off end portion, which latter engages underneath a shoulder of a circumferential projection provided on the container wall, the projection tapering off upwardly and ending at a distance from the upper edge of the container wall, the improvement which comprises the provision of a cover constructed as a push-in cover with a depressed bottom and having an inner sidewall penetrating into the container and provided with a circumferentially extending bulged portion disposed approximajely on the level of said projection, said bulged portion being in pressure contact with said inner wall of the container, said cover also having an outer sidewall provided on its inner surface with a recess corresponding in shape essentially to said projection, said recess having a tapering surface serving as a support surface for said projection, the edge portion of said container wall disposed above the projection being held fixed in position in the base portion of a U-shaped recess in the cover defined by the circumferentially extending sidewalls thereof.

13. Container according to claim 12, wherein there is provided a stiffening ring serving as a stacking ring projecting from the base of the edge portion of the cover in the upward direction.

14. Container according to claim 12, wherein the container is constructed essentially in the form of a parallelepiped, the cover being essentially rectangular.

15. Container according to claim 12, wherein the projection tapers upwardly by an angle of approximately 15 from the vertical.

16. In a container and cover therefor constructed of plastic, wehrein the cover is provided with a sidewall depending over the container edge and having a circumferential weakening line which subdivides the cover into a first cover member reusable as a cover and a second cover member being a tear-off end portion, which latter engages underneath a shoulder of a circumferential projection tapering off upwardly and ending at a distance from the upper edge of the container wall, the improvement which comprises the provision of a cover constructed as a push-in cover with a depressd bottom and having an inner sidewall penetrating into the container and provided with a circumferentially extending bulged portion disposed approximately on the level of said projection, such bulged portion being in pressure contact with said inner wall of the container, said cover also having an outer sidewall provided on its inner surface with a recess corresponding in shape essentially to said projection, said recess having a tapering surface serving as a support surface for said projection, the edge portion of said container wall disposed above the projection being held fixed in position in the base portion of a U-shaped recess in the cover defined by the circumferentially extending sidewalls thereof, the weakening line in the cover being disposed in the proximity of the shoulder of said projection. 

1. In an open mouthed container and cover therefor constructed of plastic, wherein said container has a circumferentially extending projection on its outer wall in the region of the top edge of said container, said projection tapering upwardly, wherein said cover has an inverted U-shaped rim inthe form of a pair of upstanding circumferential sidewalls, and wherein the outer sidewall of said cover has a circumferential weakening line which subdivides the cover into a first cover member reusable as a cover and a second cover member being a tear-off end portion, the improvement comprising means for providing firm clamping and contact pressure between the upper edge of said container and the sidewalls of said cover by having the inner sidewall of said cover with a circumferentially extending bulged portion to maintain pressure contact with the inner wall of said container, said bulged portion being disposed approximately on the level of said projection, and having the outer sidewall of said cover engage the edge of said container firmly above said projection, and an inward projection on said outer sidewall to engage underneath th projection on said container and lock said cover to said container, said inward projection being located in said tearoff end portion and adjacent to said weakening line in said outer sidewall.
 2. The container and cover of claim 1 wherein said cover has a reduced cross-sectional thickness in its outer wall above the projection of said outer wall to thereby form said weakening line.
 3. The container and cover of claim 1 wherein said container is in the form of a polygon.
 4. The container and cover of claim 3 wherein said polygon is a rectangle.
 5. The container and cover of claim 1 wherein said cover outer wall engages the upper edge of said container with a tight elastic fit.
 6. The container and cover of claim 1 wherein the projection of said container wall is triangular.
 7. The container and cover of claim 1 wherein said cover outer wall has a recess and projection shaped to conform with the profile of the edge and projection of said container wall.
 8. In a relatively flexible one-piece molded plastic cover for an open mouthed container, wherein said container has a circumferential extending projection on its outer wall in the region of the edge of said container, wherein said cover has an inverted U-shaped rim in the form of a pair of upstanding circumferential sidewalls, and wherein the outer sidewall of said cover has a circumferential weakening line which subdivides the cover into a first cover member reusable as a cover and a second cover member being a tear-off end portion, the improvement comprising means for providing firm clamping and contact pressure between the upper edge of said container and the sidewalls of said cover by having the inner sidewall of said cover with a circumferential extending bulged portion to maintain pressure contact with the inner wall of said container, said bulged portion being disposed-approximately on the level of said projection, and having the outer sidewall of said cover shaped to engage the edge of said container firmly above said projection, and an inward projection on said outeR sidewall of said cover shaped to engage underneath the projection on said container for locking said cover to said container, said inward projection being located in said tear-off end portion and adjacent to said weakening line in said outer sidewall.
 9. The cover of claim 8 wherein said outer wall has a reduced cross-sectional thickness above the projection of said outer wall to thereby form said weakening line.
 10. The cover of claim 8 wherein said outer wall is adapted to engage the upper edge of said container with a tight elastic fit.
 11. The cover of claim 10 wherein said outer wall has a recess and projection shaped to conform with the profile of the edge and projection of said container wall.
 12. In a container and cover therefor constructed of plastic wherein the cover is provided with a sidewall depending over the container edge and having a circumferential weakening line which subdivides the cover into a first cover member reusable as a cover and a second cover member being a tear-off end portion, which latter engages underneath a shoulder of a circumferential projection provided on the container wall, the projection tapering off upwardly and ending at a distance from the upper edge of the container wall, the improvement which comprises the provision of a cover constructed as a push-in cover with a depressed bottom and having an inner sidewall penetrating into the container and provided with a circumferentially extending bulged portion disposed approximajely on the level of said projection, said bulged portion being in pressure contact with said inner wall of the container, said cover also having an outer sidewall provided on its inner surface with a recess corresponding in shape essentially to said projection, said recess having a tapering surface serving as a support surface for said projection, the edge portion of said container wall disposed above the projection being held fixed in position in the base portion of a U-shaped recess in the cover defined by the circumferentially extending sidewalls thereof.
 13. Container according to claim 12, wherein there is provided a stiffening ring serving as a stacking ring projecting from the base of the edge portion of the cover in the upward direction.
 14. Container according to claim 12, wherein the container is constructed essentially in the form of a parallelepiped, the cover being essentially rectangular.
 15. Container according to claim 12, wherein the projection tapers upwardly by an angle of approximately 15* from the vertical.
 16. In a container and cover therefor constructed of plastic, wehrein the cover is provided with a sidewall depending over the container edge and having a circumferential weakening line which subdivides the cover into a first cover member reusable as a cover and a second cover member being a tear-off end portion, which latter engages underneath a shoulder of a circumferential projection tapering off upwardly and ending at a distance from the upper edge of the container wall, the improvement which comprises the provision of a cover constructed as a push-in cover with a depressd bottom and having an inner sidewall penetrating into the container and provided with a circumferentially extending bulged portion disposed approximately on the level of said projection, such bulged portion being in pressure contact with said inner wall of the container, said cover also having an outer sidewall provided on its inner surface with a recess corresponding in shape essentially to said projection, said recess having a tapering surface serving as a support surface for said projection, the edge portion of said container wall disposed above the projection being held fixed in position in the base portion of a U-shaped recess in the cover defined by the circumferentially extending sidewalls thereof, the weakening line in the cover being disposed in the proximity of the shoulder of said projection. 